Nothing strikes fear into my heart more so than when something I own starts making unusual loud noises. This can be a cause for concern and a potential cause to suddenly find yourself in need of some extra hours at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, in the case of your air conditioner making a pulsating noise, the common causes are easy to address and fix. A pulsating ac unit at its root is caused by the compressor\u2019s actions and is additionally either caused by the unit sitting on an unsolid platform, a loose fan component, a bad capacitor, or by an uninsulated lineset coming in contact with something. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A compressor sitting on an uninsulated platform, namely plastic platforms, have a tendency to make a pulsating noise. This occurs when the air conditioner\u2019s compressor reverberates through the plastic base which in turn makes a pulsating sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This problem can be fixed by switching out the platform that your air conditioner sits on. I recommend either a level wooden platform or a concrete slab variant. Both of these not only last longer than plastic platforms, but they produce almost no noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The refrigerant lines that connect to your air conditioner unit are supposed to be insulated but sometimes this insulation becomes torn or damaged during installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The compressor within the air conditioner uses these lines to move refrigerant – when this is happening, the compressor\u2019s actions are reverberating through the entire length of the lineset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since this is the case, if the bare uninsulated refrigerant line comes in contact with any other surface then it may cause a pulsating or humming sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the pulsating sounds that can be attributed to the causes above, if you hear a metallic pulsing or buzzing noise coming from the fan in your heating and cooling system then it has a loose fan component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This can often be tied to the fan motor, loose fan, fan blade, or a combination of all three. This is an easy fix and just requires a few simple steps. If the sound is not loud enough to be heard inside you should still take the time to ensure everything is tightened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This problem is easy to detect because if there is a bad fan capacitor in your air conditioner then the unit\u2019s fan won\u2019t kick on. A pulsating sound will be caused when the fan tries to start but is prevented by a bad capacitor. This fix is more intensive so I recommend contacting a licensed HVAC technician to address and repair the capacitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the compressor can cause a pulsating noise by causing other parts to vibrate, it can also be the root cause of the problem. If your compressor is out, a lack of cold air would also be present with the pulsating sound. If this is the case you could potentially be out $1,500-$2,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why you should call around, to ensure you are getting the best price for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A pulsating sound coming from your air conditioner can be caused by a number of things. Above is a list to help you troubleshoot and locate the exact problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are still having trouble pinpointing the exact issue then you should contact a licensed professional right away to come out, address, and fix the issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nothing strikes fear into my heart more so than when something I own starts making unusual loud noises. This can be a cause for concern and a potential cause to suddenly find yourself in need of some extra hours at work. Thankfully, in the case of your air conditioner making a pulsating noise, the common …<\/p>\n